Bluetooth uses a method called bonding for recognizing specific devices and thus enabling control over which devices are allowed to connect to each other. Devices then can establish a connection without user intervention. A bond is created through a process called “pairing”. The pairing process is typically triggered by a specific request to create a bond from a user via a user interface.
Pairing typically involves some level of user interaction. This user interaction is the basis for confirming the identity of devices. Once pairing successfully completes, a bond will have been formed between the two devices, enabling those two devices to connect to each other in the future without again requiring the pairing process. When desired, the bonding relationship can later be removed by the user.
Many techniques exist that “choose” what device to connect to. For example, in US Patent Publication No. 2013/0157573 entitled “Mobile Bluetooth Device”, it is suggested to determine a spatial relationship between mobile Bluetooth devices to allow for an automatic reconnection of the mobile Bluetooth device to one of the number of Bluetooth terminals (e.g., automatically connect to the closest Bluetooth device). This allows reconnection without manual interaction by the user. Similarly, European Patent Application No. EP 2 672 762, entitled “Connecting the Highest Priority Bluetooth Device to a Device” automatically drops and connects Bluetooth devices based on a priority level.
A problem exists in the above techniques in that those higher priority/closer devices may not be of interest to the user when they are automatically connected. For example, assume a user is listening to music over a Bluetooth headset connected to a low-priority first device and they move near a closer/higher-priority second device. Simply automatically switching the user to the second device may annoyingly cause the music to cease playing. However, if the second device has important content (e.g., a telephone call from your boss), it may be desirable to switch devices. Therefore, a need exists for connecting Bluetooth devices within a collaborative environment that reduces the chances that a Bluetooth device will be needlessly automatically connected.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required.